Traffic gates are used in a variety of situations to control flow of vehicles. For example, such gates may be used at entry checkpoints into parking areas of secure facilities, such as government buildings. Parking lots that require payment of a parking fee, such as airport parking lots, will also often use traffic gates at points of entry and exit. Similarly, private residential communities often use traffic gates to limit entry into the community to the residents themselves and their guests.
Typical traffic gates comprise a simple crossing arm of predetermined length. In many cases, the arm may not be long enough to reach all the way across a road, thus tempting drivers to try going around them. These efforts frequently result in damage to the crossing arm itself, requiring an expensive replacement. In addition, traditional crossing arms are often small and difficult to see, which also leads to problems.